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The jurors in Harvey Weinstein's rape trial have had to bear witness to hours of grueling testimony from his accusers, as five women have described, in disturbing detail, the various times he allegedly sexually assaulted them over the years. On Tuesday, the jury was subjected to a new level of discomfort: They were forced to look at photos of Weinstein in the nude.According to Page Six, prosecutors showed the jurors five naked photos of the disgraced producer, including one full-frontal shot. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office had the photos taken as part of its investigation into Weinstein's case, along with more than 60 others, which weren't introduced as evidence.The Associated Press speculated that the prosecution likely used the photographs to corroborate testimony from Jessica Mann, who accused Weinstein of raping her and forcing oral sex on her in 2013, among other allegations. She's described "extreme scarring" on Weinstein's body, and said that his penis is "deformed." Ostensibly, the prosecution is hoping these photos line up with that description, and help bolster her claims.Weinstein, who's been scolded by the judge in his case for texting during his trial, reportedly made a joke about the photos as he was leaving the courtroom. From Page Six:
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Though more than 100 women have publicly accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct, his trial in New York hinges on accusations from just two alleged victims: Mann and Mimi Haleyi, a former Project Runway assistant who accused him of forcing oral sex on her in 2006. Both have already testified, along with three other women who have accused him of sexual assault. While Weinstein's alleged assaults of those women didn't lead to charges, the prosecution is using their testimony to try to establish a pattern of predatory behavior. Lauren Young, a model who accused Weinstein of groping her and masturbating in front of her in 2013, will be the sixth and final of Weinstein's alleged victims to testify when she takes the stand on Wednesday.Weinstein could face life in prison if he's convicted—and even if he's acquitted in his New York case, his legal battle won't be over. He's facing separate criminal sexual assault charges in California, where, if he's convicted, he could spend up to 28 years behind bars.Sign up for our newsletter to get the best of VICE delivered to your inbox daily.Follow Drew Schwartz on Twitter.Weinstein was later asked by a reporter outside court whether the photos were of him in the buff.
“No, it was Playboy,’’ the former powerhouse producer chortled.